"Always laugh when you can. It is cheap medicine." ~ Lord Byron, British poet

Fruity Blood Bath
Take a knife...ooooh, are you getting shivers up your spine? Add a aargh... POMEGRANATE.

Use a teaspoon, plate and paper towel... and don't wear a white shirt.

These addictive fruit are brilliant for quitting smokers. Sure to occupy your hands and mouth for a while, start by cutting one open and dig out each seed with your spoon or fingers. Pop in mouth and suck the juice, and chew up the seeds if you like. But watch those bright red squirts!

With up to 800 seeds in a large pomegranate, they are classed as superfoods, and a symbol of fertility. Rich in vitamins A, C, E, iron and high levels of antioxidants, plus punicic acid or conjugated linolenic acid (CLNA), they are ripening on the trees in the Southern Hemisphere right now.

First, get prepared. You do this by anchoring a memory of when you feel absolutely fantastic... a moment, event or feeling when the world seems to be raining fountains of love, freedom from addiction, pleasure, Easter eggs, family fun... howsomewhatever (as my English friend says).

Grab this moment and attach or anchor it with something. By something I mean sniffing a bottle of a pleasant essential oil, rubbing a smooth stone in your pocket, touching your forehead with certain fingers, or looking at a picture you carry.

Choose your anchor of sight, sound, touch, smell or taste, and whenever you feel so good that you just want to hug a toad even, then imprint that feeling by saying to yourself, "Everytime I sniff my lavender oil, I feel so good, in control, brave, strong and successful."

Practice this a few times, then when you feel a rotten feeling threatening to overwhelm you, use your anchor and evoke those good feelings for the few minutes you need to.

As you concentrate on these happy memories, you relax and gain control of your fear... and of course, ultimately, your life.

Smoke and Mirrors
According to a news article, a poll of 4000 UK adults found 52% of smokers kept their habit secret from their parents, even into adulthood.

Three out of ten smokers lied to their doctor, and 25% hid their habit from their employer.

A third admitted lying to their family, who believed they had quit, or had never smoked at all.

Hellooo… what a constricted and harrowing way to live, and hello, what unobservant parents.